Internal combustion engines are commonly used to power small watercraft such as personal watercraft. These watercraft include a hull which defines an engine compartment. The engine is positioned in the engine compartment. The output shaft of the engine is coupled to a water propulsion device of the watercraft, such as an impeller.
Air must be supplied to the engine from outside the hull for use in the combustion process. Typically, air flows through one or more ducts in the hull into the engine compartment, and then through an intake system of the engine to the combustion chamber(s) thereof.
The engine may include one or more breather pipes. The breather pipe typically extends from a camshaft chamber to the intake system of the engine. In this manner, blowby gas, i.e., intake and exhaust gas which passes from the combustion chamber to the camshaft chamber, such as along the valve stem, is relieved.
A problem arises in that the intake system is often arranged so that water often enters the intake system of the engine. This water may enter the breather pipe and flow to the engine, possibly damaging the engine.
An improved breather arrangement for an engine powering a watercraft is desired.